Hiker Catches Hypothermia Attempting to Win a Coupon for Free Pizza

Pizza is a near perfect food. It almost universally loved—even Hillary Clinton ran her presidential campaign on it. As wonderful as we all know pizza to be, could it really be worth nearly dying for just a small discount on a pie? For some people, it is.

Enter this pizza-obsessed amateur hiker, a 30-year-old Arizona man who attempted to climb 9,301-foot Mount Elden in exchange for a coupon promising free pizza. Mount Elden, being a majestic natural wonder, was covered in at least 3 inches of snow, and the man attempting to traverse it along his epic quest for pizza wearing a pair of shorts, caught hypothermia.

Luckily, a Forest Service ranger caught sight of the man languishing on the mountain side from a guard tower, and came to his rescue. The man was taken to a shelter and warmed by a fire, but he was not given pizza.

A post shared by Caleb Schiff (@pizzicletta) on May 9, 2017 at 10:42am PDT

After a comfortable rest in the warmth of the shelter, the hiker fully recovered. Friends picked him up and drove him home, where we hope he was rewarded with a slice for his ordeal.

"The hiker was either unaware of the weather forecast or disregarded the forecast and set off ill prepared wearing shorts and light clothing," the Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

How did this man end up nearly freezing to death on Mount Elden in nothing but his best spring attire? He had accepted a challenge from the Flagstaff pizzeria Pizzicletta, which had promised a coupon for free pizza to any brave souls who hiked or biked to the top of Mount Elden during the 21-day Giro d'Italia bicycle race—presumably trained professional outdoorsman or athletes, though, not just some guy with no cash in his pocket and a hankering for pizza.

Lesson learned: If you're running low on funds but you also want pizza, don't take any unnecessary risks. Call your mom and ask for the cash. See if your best friend will give you a loan (again). But if you're in the mood for an adventure, and an opportunity like this comes up again, take our advice and at least bring a coat.